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Sutherland PhD MC phono preamplifier Brian Damkroger, December 2005

Brian Damkroger wrote again about the Sutherland in December 2005 (Vol.28 No.12):

Though not obviously colored, the Whest PS.20 did sound a bit electronic—it simply wasn't as "free of electronic detritus" as MF had described the Sutherland PhD in his January 2004 column (Vol.27 No.1).

Perhaps the essence of this "Follow-Up" to Michael Fremer's review of the Whest PS.20 + MSU.20 can be gleaned from our comparisons of it and the Sutherland PhD. I agree with MF that some listeners will prefer the Whest's more dynamic presentation, others the PhD's purity and "mesmerizing flow." I…

Sutherland PhD MC phono preamplifier Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

The PhD's plug-in modules made it very easy to perform complete sets of measurements in all its various modes. I used an almost fresh set of batteries to power it.

The voltage gain at 1kHz accurately conformed to the specified figures. I measured 45.6dB ("45"), 49.7dB ("50"), 55.05dB ("55"), and 61.1dB ("60"). The input impedance (at 1kHz) also accurately tracked the specification: 99.8 ohms ("100"), 199.4 ohms ("200"), 973.9 ohms ("1k"), and 43k ohms ("47k"). The PhD's output impedance was usefully low, at 251 ohms across the audioband. However, there was…

Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable & Cobra tonearm

Part New Jersey diner, part Wurlitzer jukebox, with a snakelike tonearm that at certain angles looks vaguely lewd, this boxy, man-sized creation from Australia seems to have been built around its distinctive looks rather than for any functional purpose. Combine that with its sky-high price—itself almost obscene—and the result is apparently the sort of product that envious, cynical, self-loathing audiophiles love to hate, and reviewers love to write about.

But a glance under the Caliburn's shiny skin reveals a clever, purposeful design based on rigorous scientific methodology…

Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable & Cobra tonearm Page 2

The platter has an outer frame of cast magnesium and an isolated inner structure, the surface of which supports the actual playing surface—a proprietary material, made from purpose-cast metal powder and resin composite, that's machined, bonded, then channeled into four quadrants for the vacuum hold-down system. The composite is said to be a "fast" material whose mechanical impedance matches that of vinyl, though the platter's isolated construction means this might not be as critical as it would be in a conventional platter.

The bearing shaft itself is a single, massive unit 5" long and 1…

Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable & Cobra tonearm Page 3

The bearing assembly rides on a rigid, sliding cross arm platform made from stainless-steel. This is terminated in a large-diameter ring that fits over a steel cylinder associated with a worm-gear mechanism, both of which are surrounded by a massive stainless-steel tower attached to the armboard. The vertical tracking angle (VTA) can be adjusted on the fly by loosening a pair of thumbscrews on the side of the tower and turning a top-mounted calibrated knob.

A tonearm's antiskating force needs to gradually increase across the plane of play, in order to compensate for the increasing…

Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable & Cobra tonearm Page 4

Last week I heard Macedonian pianist Simon Trpceski fluidly, and with seeming ease, perform Rachmaninoff's finger-twisting Piano Concerto 3 with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. I came home and spent the rest of the evening and part of the next day listening to favorite piano recordings, some well-recorded, some not. The Caliburn and Cobra delivered the piano's attack, harmonic complexity, dynamics, and texture as no other combo I've heard. Many recordings I'd thought sounded boxy or tinkly now sounded neither. And the ones I'd thought sounded great turned out to…

Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable & Cobra tonearm Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Caliburn: suspensionless turntable with O-ring drive; cogless, battery-powered DC motor; vacuum holddown. Speeds (adjustable): 33.33, 45, 78 rpm. Wow & flutter, Rumble: not specified.
Dimensions: 24" (615mm) W by 8" (205mm) H (including feet) by 15.5" (400mm) D. Weight: 160 lbs (73kg), not including motor.
Serial Number Of Unit Reviewed: Not noted.
Price: $65,000, including Cobra tonearm.

Cobra: dual-pivot tonearm with monocoque construction. VTA and azimuth adjustable. Offset: 23°. Horizontal and vertical resonant frequency with medium-…

Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable & Cobra tonearm Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog Sources: Simon Yorke S7, Immedia RPM-2, Graham Engineering Phantom tonearms; Lyra Titan Stereo & Mono, Dynavector DRT-XV1S, Mysonic Lab Eminent cartridges.
Digital Sources: Musical Fidelity kW SACD player, Alesis Masterlink hard-disk recorder.
Preamplification: Manley Steelhead, Boulder 2008 phono preamplifiers; Musical Fidelity kW, kWP preamplifiers.
Power Amplifiers: Musical Fidelity kW, kW750.
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio Specialties MAXX2.
Cables: Phono: Crystal Cable Piccolo, Hovland MG 2 Music Groove. Interconnect: Acrolink…

Channel Islands Audio D-100 monoblock power amplifier

"You're reviewing a class-D amplifier?" whined John Atkinson. "I hate measuring those."

"Because they measure badly? Dusty Vawter assures me this one measures pretty well."

"It's not that they measure badly, it's because I have to be extremely careful to ensure that I don't end up measuring my test equipment's limitations."

"Does that mean class-D actually measures better than other amps?"

"Let's just say the D stands for different."

Yes, let's. And Channel Islands' D-100 monoblock is more different than most. It's small (6.25" wide by 5.5" high by 8.0"…

Channel Islands Audio D-100 monoblock power amplifier Page 2

"Some of the other class-D amplifiers use switching power supplies, but I just don't think they sound good enough yet to use in audiophile amplifiers—they're probably all right for subwoofers, but I still think a linear supply is the best thing for an audio amplifier.

"I don't pretend there's anything especially sophisticated about the D-100's power supply. It uses a custom 300VA toroid, and it uses discrete Schottke diodes in the bridge rectifier. We use eight parallel capacitors—we like paralleling caps rather than just using two with large values because that tends to lower the…